Rodham

This went on and off my list for a while before I finally decided to read it, but Rodham by Curtis Sittenfeld proved an interesting and enjoyable read. It's written in the first person, from Hillary Rodham's point of view, following her through her life and speculating what might have happened if she hadn't married Bill Clinton.

So, it's an odd premise, taking well-known and still living political figures and fictionalising their lives.

And the narrative voice is very analytical, almost clinical at times - presumably this is an assumption about Hillary's inner monologue, but it does make it difficult to engage with her as a character, emotionally, at least to begin with.

The story is a strange combination of dense politics and relationship melodrama, but I was always interested in what would happen next and how Hillary would react to it. I was a bit disappointed by her response to finding out about Bill's infidelity, but grew much more invested in her as a character, once the 2016 presidential race got underway.

Sittenfeld is a good writer and knows how to keep readers engaged. So, this is recommended if you have any interest in the subject matter.

Via Magica

A friend introduced us to a new board game the other day - Via Magica.

You assign crystals to different symbol types, based on tokens drawn out of a bag, in an attempt to complete combinations that will open portals to other worlds. Each completed portal gives you points and/or powers, and the game ends as soon as someone opens their seventh portal.

It's one of those games where the mechanics are simple, but the strategy is complex.

I enjoyed playing it and didn't do too badly overall. The art is beautiful and it doesn't take very long - but this latter point could be a disadvantage, as there is a definite possibility of frustration when the game ends abruptly just when you're about to have a really great turn!